[Sharh Muwatta Imam Malik – Shaikh Zubair Ali Zai] – Hadith No.128 –:– What Should The Person Do If He Forgets In The Prayer

Tahqiq, Takhrij, Sharh

Muhadith Zubair Ali Zai

Translated Abu Ubaydah

Translated, Checked & Additional Notes

Abu Hibban & Abu Khuzaimah Ansaari

What Should The Person Do If He Forgets In The Prayer

Ayub Ibn Abi Tamimah as-Sakhtiyani: Three Ahadith

[128] From Malik from Ayub Ibn Abi Tamimah from Muhamad Ibn Sirin from Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) offered two rak`at and finished his prayer. So Dhul-Yadain (Radi Allahu Anhu) asked him, “Has the prayer been reduced or have you forgotten?” Allah’s Messenger (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said, “Has Dhul-Yadain spoken the truth?” The people replied in the affirmative. Then Allah’s Messenger (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) stood up and offered the remaining two rak`at and performed Taslim, and then said Takbir and performed two prostrations like his usual prostrations, or a bit longer, and then got up.

[GRADING] – [IT’S CHAIN IS SAHIH]

And transmitted by al-Bukhari (no.1228) from the hadith of Malik and narrated by Muslim (97/573) from the hadith of Ayub as-Sakhtiyani.

[UNDERSTANDING FROM THE HADITH]1) If an individual does the final salam before completing the full Salah then he should count the raka’s he has already performed and make up the remaining missing raka’s of that Salah and do the prostration of forgetfulness at the end of it. The prostration of forgetfulness should be done like the prostration performed in the normal Salah or longer than it.

2) The Salah does not become fasid if an individual forgets and does the Salam (early) or talks during the Salah.

3) It is Sunnah to verify a doubt in a hadith. After establishing that it is authentic it is necessary to act upon it.

4) The Prophets and Messengers (Alayhimusalam) can forget in worldly matters and Salah etc. however please note that they can never forget in matters relating to conveying the religion, information of the previous nations etc.

5) It is not allowed to leave a matter on a foundation of doubtfulness when that matter is certain.

6) In the event that there is an apparent contradiction in a narration and it is not possible to reconcile it then precedence will be given to the group (of other narrators who have narrated the same narration) in comparison to this one narrator.

7) It is Sunnah to perform the Takbir during the prostration of forgetfulness.

8) Some people have said that this hadith is Mudtarib. See at-Tamhid (1/364) which has details showing that this saying is false.

9) It is incorrect to say that Dhul Yadain (Radi Allahu Anhu) was martyred in the battle of Badr because Dhu ash-Shamalin (Radi Allahu Anhu) was martyred and Dhul Yadain (Radi Allahu Anhu) lived for quite a long time after the death of the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam).

10) The Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) did not have the knowledge of the unseen, otherwise why would he ask other people to verify for him? Also see hadith no.156